Help me pick our next car....

[rodi]

Here are the criteria:

DH wants something up off the ground - so SUV or crossover. He'd prefer to get a land yacht like a giant SUV...

I want something with decent mileage - preferably at least 25mpg.

My husband is tall - 6'4" so some cars are just too small.
My kids are tall - so back seat leg room is important. Older son is currently 6'3" and still growing. Younger son is 6' at age 14... so lots of growth ahead of him, too.

Now the toughest part. I want a stick shift. Those seem to be unavailable in most of the cars that I've been looking at...

So far I'm looking at Honda CRV, Ford Escape, and whatever the Mazda small SUV is.

Any insights?

Do I just need to give up the idea of stick shift? - even though I really prefer it AND want to teach my kids to drive stick.

 

[Iusta]

80% of cars will be Electric in 10 years

Get a Tesla.

 

[Midpack]

I didn't realize there were so many choices left with manual transmissions - Honda, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Fiat, Nissan. It would be between the CRV, [-]RAV4[/-] or a Subaru [-]Outback or[/-] Forester for me, but my own personal biases.

Manual Transmission SUVs - iSeeCars.com

You may have to order a manual transmission and resale won't be good, but if you intend to keep it for a long, long time, I wouldn't hesitate if that's what you really want.

 

[Bamaman]

Giant SUV's with 25 mpg? All SUV's have to be very structurally sound, and they're all relatively heavy. My Ford Explorer weighs 4500 lbs. and can sometimes get 25 mpg on the open highway.

Giant SUV--Ford Expedition is as good as they come right now with 3.5 EcoBoost engine. You might get 22 mpg with one on the open road.
Medium SUV--Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Buick Enclave or Lexus RX350.

That's about all there is with a "growing" family.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I don't know that small SUV is compatible with the extra leg room your DH and DSes require. You will have to fit the car around them. At 5'6" I have average length legs and the small SUVs don't give me much room in the front seats, never mind the back seats.

DS has a Volvo SUV and it feels very small, but also has a Yukon that more than makes up for the Volvo.

 

[bingybear]

I've driven a stick most of my live. Gave it up for a CVT that gets better mileage. I went with a Subaru Outback. 33 mpg highway AWD using the 2.5 liter engine. Before the CVT I could easily get better mileage with a stick. I think the cvt will also be lower maintenance.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

I adore my mazda, but drove a subaru outback on vacation in Montana and loved it, and am considering that for next vehicle. My DH is also tall, and found it had plenty of headroom. The AWD was FUN and it got great gas mileage.

 

[TrophyWife]

Mercedes GLA 250 Such a fun car. My first Mercedes...I've always had Toyotas.

 

[pb4uski]

We were looking for a mid-sized SUV and it ultimately got down to the Honda CR-V and the Subaru Outback.... our local Subaru dealer was more willing to deal than the Honda dealer so we went with the Outback. No regrets at all... it has been a great car for us. We get over 29 mpg in combined driving. Great value for the money. But no manual transmission... only the CVT.... which is why the mileage is so good given the size of the car.

 

[Ronstar]

As big as your family is - I'd second Bamaman's recommendation for a Ford Expedition

Or get a Ford F-150 Supercrew truck

But you may have to give up the idea of a stick shift.

And the CRV and Escape - not big enough - may be big enough for the driver, but I would feel sorry for whoever got stuck in the back seat.

I had a family about your size looking at my Jeep Grand Cherokee when I had it for sale. Very tight squeeze. And they didn't buy it.

 

[Koolau]

I really like our CRV but it's an old one with relatively tall ceiling giving LOTS of head room. Not sure the newer models are still so forgiving of tall folks. I didn't realize they were available with standard transmission. I miss rowing a 5 speed, but in city traffic, an auto is a lot easier. These days, there are few downsides to auto trans with the possible exception of driving in ice. Some auto trans will allow you to use a higher gear which lowers the torque and prevents uncontrolled wheel spin. Not so much of a problem to me anymore, but that's something I always looked for on the mainland. YMMV

 

[RobbieB]

I wouldn't get a manual transmission in anything other than a "fun" car.

And they only have 2 seats.

 

[capjak]

I do not have one but I believe the Toyota Highlander Hybrid might work.

I have a 2003 Honda pilot which has been a great SUV but I prefer my BMW
M Sport 3 series...

 

[DrRoy]

I find that Fords do not give very good gas mileage. Honda has a pretty high domestic content, which I find to be important.

 

[LakeRat1]

We purchased a Hyundai Tucson and had owned the Hyundai Santa Fe ..... I have been very pleased with the performance, room, and reliability of the Hyundai .... Our 2015 Tucson will get 30/32 MPG when we travel from Ft Myers to Osage Beach, MO...... In town we are getting 27 to 29........

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Our neighbor just got a Toyota Highlander, it may fit the bill.

 

[splitwdw]

I have a 2017 Ford Expedition Platinum and there is not much leg room in the second row of seats. My 2010 Ford F150 Platinum had a lot of room in the back seat. I have a friend that's 6'10" and he fit in the back of the F150 with no problem. Now he sits in the front seat of the Expedition and there's not much room behind him for the second row of seats. One of my girlfriends is heavy and she said the front seats of the Expedition were narrower than the F150. Gas mileage for the F150 was only about 11 or 12 mpg city driving and the Expedition gets about 13 mpg city.
Why stick? Don't you live in the city with a lot of stop and go traffic? Your children will probably never need to know how to drive stick so it's not worth "special ordering" a manual transmission. There are some people that never quite pick up how to drive stick. Wouldn't want to teach someone to drive stick on a new vehicle.

 

[aaronc879]

OP: Have you considered a minivan? When I was a teenager(mid 90's) we had a minivan. My Dad was 6'4.5", my brother and I were that tall or taller and fit fine in the back seat. I can't think of any small SUV or other non-hybrid that would get both 25+ MPG AND fit 3 people who are well over 6'. Very unlikely you will get a stick in any vehicle that will fit your family.

 

[Nightcap]

I can't speak to transmission - my only manual was over 40 years ago in England - but the Nissan Murano was the most comfortable, roomy car I've ever owned. Plenty of leg room.

 

[blenhardt]

I wouldn't get a manual transmission in anything other than a "fun" car.

And they only have 2 seats.

X2

 

[nash031]

The three SUVs you listed are all fine vehicles, but if I were your sons/husband, I wouldn't want anything to do with them either. The CX-5 and CRV are probably going to seem too cramped for them in the back.

It kind of seems like you're shopping for a unicorn... I too loathe the idea of giant SUVs, so you might consider something along the lines of a Pilot or Highlander or CX-9, which seem smaller to me than the Suburban or Expedition. That might just be my perception.

In your shoes, I'd give up stick for a little while. I've only ever driven stick. Teaching your boys how to do it is probably a waste as I don't know how much longer it'll really be around. It's already fairly rare such that their need to know how is probably waning into oblivion.

If YOU like to drive stick (as I do), then maybe give it up for this car, then when the boys are out, you get something in manual that's smaller, great mileage and zippier. My next car will likely be auto, but as my family grows and 10 years later, I might switch back.

 

[golfnut]

Just took a golf road trip from Chicago area to Gaylord, Michigan with 2 buddies in a 2016 Toyota Highlander. Got about 24 per gallon with a bunch of golf gear etc... Very roomy in back seat. Great vehicle and the v6 has got some punch to it. Had to watch our speed as it cruises real well at 85 mph.

 

[Ronstar]

..... Gas mileage for the F150 was only about 11 or 12 mpg city driving and the Expedition gets about 13 mpg city.....

My 2017 Ecoboost 3.5 F-150 gets 17 city, 23 highway. Newer trucks get a lot better gas mileage than those of 10 years ago. Plus the new F-150 body is aluminum- about 800 lbs lighter.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We gave DS a stick to drive to high school because his friends had cars with stick shifts--he just told us fifteen years later that he stalled every time he shifted the first week (a 13 mile drive each way) but he did love that car. He picked automatic for the five cars he bought since then. I have a couple of women friends who drive a stick all the time, and I can do it, but I honestly don't know why it's so important to them. I should ask.

 

[RE2Boys]

OP: Have you considered a minivan? When I was a teenager(mid 90's) we had a minivan. My Dad was 6'4.5", my brother and I were that tall or taller and fit fine in the back seat. I can't think of any small SUV or other non-hybrid that would get both 25+ MPG AND fit 3 people who are well over 6'. Very unlikely you will get a stick in any vehicle that will fit your family.

Since you didn't mention snow or off-road capabilities, a minivan has you sitting high, extremely versatile vehicle and roomy. Would be a lot more comfortable as a road car than the small SUVs.

Currently get 24-25 mpg highway in my Kia Sedona minivan, tow a boat or pop-up camper with ease, hauled a 1000 pound load of firewood once. Only downside is not an AWD which would be helpful as I live in lake effect snow country.

I'm impressed with the back seat room my wife's AWD Hyundia Sante Fe has, another possibility for you to consider. It has lots more room than the Escape that my sons share.

While a love to drive a manual box, it just has not fit in with the practical needs of the family yet. And I always buy used so color and tranny are very secondary considerations.